{"type":"article","show_header_text":false,"header":"ARTICLES ABOUT RAY R. IRANI","query":"(per=\"IRANI, RAY R\" or per=\"IRANI, RAY\") and tom!=\"Caption\" and tom!=\"Correction\" and tom!=\"List\" and tom!=\"Paid Death Notice\" and dsk!=\"Society\"","search_query":"(persons:\"IRANI, RAY R\" OR persons:\"IRANI, RAY\") AND -type_of_material:\"Caption\" AND -type_of_material:\"Correction\" AND -type_of_material:\"List\" AND -type_of_material:\"Paid Death Notice\" AND -news_desk:\"Society\"","num_search_articles":"10","show_summary":true,"show_byline":true,"show_pub_date":true,"hide_thumbnails":true,"show_kicker":false,"show_title":false,"show_related_topics":true,"show_rad_links":true,"show_subtopics":true,"exclude_topics":"IRANI, RAY R;IRANI, RAY","more_on_header":"MORE ON RAY R. IRANI AND:","alternate_index_subidx":"","show_thumbnails":false}

SUMMONED before a Senate subcommittee last fall to explain their industry's record profits, five chief executives of big energy companies were unanimous in explaining that they had no control over the prices set by global oil markets.

The Occidental Petroleum Corporation, a big oil and natural gas producer, said yesterday that second-quarter net income rose 55 percent as it sold more oil and chemicals at higher prices. Net income increased to $581 million, or $1.46 a diluted...